The Daily Mail says Mancini surprised everyone by choosing Balotelli ahead of Carlos Tevez and it is now understood that the 22-year-old was sent out with direct instructions to run straight at United's veteran defender Rio Ferdinand whenever he had the ball.

Mancini felt that Ferdinand's legs 'have gone' and that Balotelli could trouble him. Hardly at all in the game did Balotelli follow this instruction, though, something that led to his substitution five minutes in to the second half.